On Top of Something: The Gateway Arch

This morning, I continued my vacation with a trip to Downtown St. Louis. After making a brief visit to a placement firm for them to copy a document on myself for their files, I walked over to Gateway Arch National Park (https://www.nps.gov/jeff/index.htm). Earlier this summer, a multi-year renovation of the Arch's underground museum and the grounds was completed. This was my first visit there since completion of the renovation project.

I first walked to the west entrance of the Old Courthouse and looked out onto Kiener Plaza. Then I walked to the courthouse's east entrance and looked upon the statue there of the former slaves Dred and Harriet Scott. The Scotts sued for their freedom at the Old Courthouse in 1846, only for the Missouri and US supreme courts to rule against them. This case brought the US closer to civil war. I then looked east towards the Gateway Arch and made my way through Luther Ely Smith Square towards the new Visitor Center.

After crossing over the Interstate on a new artificial land bridge, I arrived at the new Visitor Center entrance, located west of the Arch. After passing through the doors and going through the security check, I made my way to the Visitor Center. This has six galleries: Colonial St. Louis, Jefferson's Vision, Manifest Destiny, The Riverfront Era, New Frontiers, and Building the Gateway Arch. These galleries feature many historical artifacts and interactive displays to help visitors gain a greater understanding of some 250 years in this nation's history. I was most impressed by this, and it's a great improvement over the previous Museum of Westward Expansion at this location.

After browsing through the Museum, I waited for my tram ride to the top of the Arch. I had ordered my ticket for the tram and for the movie at home, and printed off the tickets before I came to the Arch. At the appointed time, I got in line for the North Tram with 39 other passengers. After viewing a brief presentation on the 1960s when the Arch was built and posing for a souvenir photograph (which I bought later), I boarded the tram for the 4-minute trip to the top--630 feet (192 m) above the St. Louis Riverfront.

After the tram arrived just short of the Observation Room, I and the other passengers got out of the tram and walked up a short flight of stairs. We arrived in the Observation Room, which had windows looking east and west. I have been to the top of the Arch at least five times in my life, and it has never failed to impress me. Along with other visitors, I looked east upon the Mississippi River, with a bit of traffic, plus the Eads and Poplar Street bridges and East St. Louis. To the west, one could see the Old Courthouse, Busch Stadium, and the rest of Downtown St. Louis. I spent at least 20 minutes there and loved all that I saw from the windows.

Back in the Visitor Center after the 3-minute ride from the top, I got lunch at the Arch View Cafe. I had a nice meal with their Wurst Plate: two sausages on sauerkraut, with cole slaw. I added lemonade and a gooey butter cake slice. It was all very tasty.

Then, I entered the Tucker Theater there for a screening of "Monument to the Dream," a 1967 Academy Award-nominated documentary about the Gateway Arch's construction. I have seen this film many times--at the Arch, on TV, and on home video--and I still am mesmerized by its story from conception to completion. After watching the film, I bought a few souvenirs at The Arch Store before walking out by the South Leg. I admired the Arch from there before walking back to my car in the Mansion House Garage.

On the way home, I shopped at JC Penney (https://www.jcpenney.com/) at South County Center (http://www.shopsouthcountycenter.com/), where I bought two new dress shirts (taking advantage of a buy one get one free offer) and a tie bar. These should be most welcome additions to my wardrobe.

My vacation continues with a day road trip tomorrow. I'll write about that in my next post.

Later.